Thika East Sub-county Agricultural Department has been challenged to offer necessary assistance to area farmers to enable them increase their farm produce and the earnings they get as a result.
Gatuanyaga MCA Cecilia Wamaitha has said that many local farmers did not know where to get the agricultural officers in case they needed them. Farmers have also been asked to grow drought-resistant crops like sweet potatoes, yams, bananas among others to cushion themselves from rampant hunger.
"Many farmers only hear that there are agricultural officers in this area but do not know them leave alone meeting them yet these are the people entrusted with helping our farmers improve their farming practices," said Wamaitha in Munyu on Thursday.
She noted that the agricultural officers were being paid by taxpayers' money and therefore their impact should be felt on the ground.
"We want all the agricultural officers to consolidate their efforts and help our farmers make this place food secure by encouraging them to adopt the best farming methods available. Their work is in the field not in the offices where they are situated most of the times. We need to see the value of our money through increased output," she added.
At the same time she reiterated her call to the farmers to grow drought-resistant crops like sweet potatoes, yams, arrow roots, bananas among others saying they stood a chance to make it through the area's dry and hot weather and in turn help residents stay free from hunger.